Friday, May 18, 2007

RECORD OF THE MONTH

I figured I'd do a monthly 'what I'm listening to' kind of thing. This could be viewed as a lame placeholder kind of post. And probably it is. But it's my blog! So there!These may or may not be newly released disks. They might not even be a good disk - just what is been in heavy rotation in my car (as usually the iPod is playing anywhere else).

If you look at the above intro which I post to all my 'Record of the Month' selections, I mention that this 'might not even be a good disk'. The Calling would be one of those.

Chapin peaked back in the mid '90s. It pains me to say it, but it's true. Stones in the Road was probably her ultimate disk, though it wasn't the hit-fest that Come On Come On was. Stones provided a balanced scorecard of fun, funny, and introspective tunes. Now she's only about the latter. ....and that just gets dull.

The disk starts off with the title track and it is a lot more promising than anything on her last disk (Between Here and Gone), but after that, the material just slides into what that album was: boring. I've never sat through that disk in one sitting. Nor have I this one. I'm not even going to try at this point.

I have only myself to blame for this. After the last disk, I promised myself I wouldn't blindly just purchase one of her disks. I didn't listen to myself and just got it. Fool me once......you know the rest.

Yes, she tries to be oh-so political on the disk and I admire her trying. In the hands of her former self it may have worked. But for some reason it's not. Her support song to the Dixie Chicks ("On With the Song") just comes across as forced and somewhat lame.

Vocally Chapin is in fine form. Maybe it's the writing, arranging or producing. Maybe it's a combo, but I am just bored to tears with it. Of course, maybe my tastes have changed too.

It is not that she's incapable of good work. Her contributions ("10,000 Miles", "It's Only Love", "Blue Night") on other artist's disks are strong. Maybe she should consider working with those producers to get a fresh slant on her material.

There are other, much better bodies of work she has done: Stones or Shooting Straight in the Dark. I suppose you could check this out - but I wouldn't suggest it unless your No-Doz isn't working.